Yahoo! or Marissa Mayer’s New Work Policy Angers Me

I’ve never struggled to voice my less than favorable impression of Marissa Mayer on this site. It began with her appointment as Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO)’s CEO. It wasn’t a personal attack, it was more rooted in the fact that I had named Yahoo’s CEO only days prior, and my declarative statement on who should lead Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) did not include MM by name. Oops. In my defense, had I been writing that from a cubicle it still wouldn’t have included her as the logical successor of Scott Thompson.

Her vague statements in Switzerland last month, and I paraphrase, that she wanted to be BFF’s with Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) rightfully provoked my, and other work at home writers’ ire.

This, however, IS personal. The suggestion, without empirical evidence, that people working from home aren’t as productive is as absurd as it insulting and hypocritical.

Absurd? Yes, without studies to back up this loss of productivity and a number of studies that suggest evidence to the contrary, any blanket policy is absurd. Having lived in China, I’m not going to compare myself and 100’s of thousands of others working from home to Chinese call center employees who showed increases in productivity away from the office, but by all means have a read here. Special circumstances exist in this world. Additionally, is the fact that a tech company in this day and age of Facetime, Skype, and considerably more advanced teleconferencing options available not a further indictment of Mayer and Yahoo?

Insulting? You don’t know me or others in similar or very different circumstances who find telecommuting their only option. I live in chronic pain. I could take a number of doctor prescribed opiates until I got fired for not fitting in at the office, or I can manage my pain. Presently, and I mean as I write, that means two Aleves and a can of beer. Or better, let’s use the words of Stephanie Van Pelt who was given the option to work from home after her son’s surgery, “They didn’t lose my productivity,” Van Pelt posted on Google+. “They gained an intensely loyal, hard-working employee that was so pleased with not having to take (time) off.”

Hypocritical? Absolutely. Mayer works in an office with an attached nursery. Are we took expect that Yahoo employees who work from home in order to also parent will be given this luxury?

I could go on about this all day, but unfortunately I’ve reached my word count and have other work to do this afternoon. I’m also about to have lunch with my lovely wife who will be coming home from her office later.

About the author

While studying economics, Brendan found himself comfortably falling down the rabbit hole of restaurant work, ultimately opening a consulting business and working as a private wine buyer. On a whim, he moved to China, and in his first week following a triumphant pub quiz victory, he found himself bleeding on the floor based on his arrogance. The same man who put him there offered him a job lecturing for the University of Wales in various sister universities throughout the Middle Kingdom. While primarily lecturing in descriptive and comparative statistics, Brendan simultaneously earned an Msc in Banking and International Finance from the University of Wales-Bangor. He's presently doing something he hates, respecting French people. Well, two, his wife and her mother in the lovely town of Antigua, Guatemala.
To contact Brendan or give him an exclusive, please contact him at [email protected]